Hershey Area Playhouse is pleased to present its first ever holiday musical, Nuncrackers, written by Danny Goggin,November 25-27 and December 2-4, 2005 on stage at One Broadway, 38 West Granada Avenue, Hershey.

Based on the characters from Nunsense, those nutty nuns from Mount Saint Helen's
Convent are at it again.  Nuncrackers revisits the Little Sisters of Hoboken and some of their students at Mt. St. Helen’s School.  Sister Mary Paul (a/k/a Amnesia) has, with the luck of the simple-minded, won the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.  

Some of the prize money has been used to create a television studio (built in the basement of the Convent) and the network, WCON-TV, and the sisters, assisted by Father Virgil and four students, are filming their Christmas Special. It's supposed to be a live version of the ballet The Nutcracker, but in usual Nunsense style, things go wrong from the beginning. Sister Mary Leo sprains her ankle and cannot dance in The Nutcracker excerpt. Irrepressible Amnesia keeps getting mixed up and coaching the kids in confused carols such as " Here We Come a-Waffling, " and " The Holly and the Ivory.”

The show is directed by Jan Steigerwald and produced by John Messmer and Tom Curry. Stage manager is Leah Longan. Musical Director and Accompianist is Ruth Sweigart.

The cast includes Colleen Mullikin as Sister Mary Regina, the Reverend Mother;
Celia Lerner as Sister Robert Anne; Stacie Johnsen as Sister Mary Hubert; Mary Morrow as Sister Mary Paul (Amnesia); Mark Arner as Father Virgil Manly Trott; Tommy Szeltner as John; Elizabeth Conway as Louise; Jesse Stevenson Bily; and Mary Albus as Maria. Several guest performers will play the role of Sister Leo.

Behind-the-scenes crew includes: Theresa Ridge, lighting designer; Tim Banis, sound designer; Ann Masorti, choreography; Mary Szeltner, costumes; Steve Sexsmith, set design; John Taylor, set construction; and Peggy Conway, stage crew.

Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees will be held at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children 12 and under. Advanced sales of 20 or more are $13.00. Tickets are available at the door and seating is limited.  

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